Signs of a Healthy Hive and How to Maintain It

February 11, 2025

If done right, beekeeping is both a delightful and rewarding hobby, but keeping a healthy hive involves a lot of observation and consistent management. A busy hive makes for a healthy colony which is good for both the beekeeper and the environment. Bees are happiest and most productive when you understand the signs of a well and poorly performing hive and how to keep it that way.

In this guide, we’ll discuss the hallmarks of a healthy hive and tips for ensuring your colony stays strong through the seasons.

Signs of a Healthy Hive

A good strong, active queen is present
The hive’s beating heart is the queen bee. A good hive will have a good, fertile queen laying eggs. Some good queen signs are:
Laying pattern is consistent (one egg in each cell, and they are arranged in a solid brood pattern).
Various types of capped brood, at different stages of development.
They don’t seem to be breaking a sweat.

A missing or weak queen can lead to an uncoordinated colony and reduce egg production. A hive that is queenless for too long will eventually lay only infertile drone eggs, prompting the colony’s collapse.

Steady Brood Production

A well-colonised hive will contain plenty of worker brood (young bees coming through) to replenish the colony. Healthy brood frames should have the following:

Different stages of eggs, larvae, and capped pupae.
A solidly-knit brood pattern, with minimal holes.
Worker honey bees caring for the brood.
Absence of brood or sporadic and inconsistent patterns may point to a failing queen or disease.

Plenty of Worker Bees

A healthy population of worker bees is vital for foraging, feeding the young and caring for the hive. Things to observe regarding a healthy worker bee population:

Bees buzzing in and out of the hive entrance.
Workers returning from foraging with pollen on their legs (a sign that they are gathering food for the colony).
The hum sound in the hive is constant indicating the bees are working.
A high ratio of drones can indicate a disease or a problem with the queen — and a dramatic decline in your number of worker bees could point to disease, queen issues or outside threats such as pesticides.

Good Honey and Pollen Stores

A strong hive will have adequate food stores. The signs that stores are sufficient:

Frames with filled and capped honey (i.e., nectar that has been stored for the winter or lean times).
Pollen that is stored in cells, though, provides critical proteins to larvae and adult bees.
Fewer honey and pollen stores may indicate the colony is having trouble foraging for food, which can lead to starvation.

Calm and Organized Bees

Bees in a hive are defensive by nature, but a healthy hive tends to remain calm and busy with its work. A stable or non-agitated colony will have the following signs:

Bees marching in an orderly fashion over the comb.
No excessive aggression, no crazy behavior.
No excessive buzzing or clusters of bees outside the hive for no particular reason.

If the bees appear a tad too aggressive or too lost, it may mean a hive has lost its queen, pests or environmental stressors.

Pest and Disease Resistance

More importantly, regular inspections will help keep serious infestations at bay — a strong hive can fend off some pests and diseases, but not all. Pests signs-free hive includes:

There are no signs of Varroa mites (little reddish brown parasites on the backs of the bees or in the brood cells).
Absence of both wax moth or small hive beetle damage of comb
No foul smells or symptoms of American or European foulbrood (bacterial diseases that infect bee brood).
It is vital to prevent and cure diseases as early as possible to keep the hives alive.

Air Quality and Cleanliness Inside the Hive

Bees are extremely tidy within their hives. A healthy hive will have:

Dry interior conditions (too much moisture can stimulate the growth of mold or fungi).
Comb sweep off with little rubbish.
Adequate air flow during summer to avoid overheating, and during winter to avoid condensation.
A poorly ventilated colony will struggle and be vulnerable to disease and pests.

How to Keep Your Hive Healthy

Regular Hive Inspections

During active periods, inspect hives every 7-14 days for signs of queen, brood, and honey stores and disease or pests.

When inspecting your hive:

Check for eggs, larvae, and capped brood to make sure the queen is laying well.
Inspect honey and pollen stores to ensure the colony has enough food.
Watch how bees behave for sudden aggression or fatigue.

Ensure Adequate Food and Water

A healthy colony is a well fed colony. To support your bees:

Native plants and flowers that are rich in nectar and pollen (lavender, clover and sunflowers are good examples).
Give them a nearby water source (a shallow dish filled with pebbles works well).
Feed with sugar syrup (1:1 solution in spring/summer, 2:1 in fall), if there is a lack of natural nectar.

Keep Hive Pests and Diseases at Bay

However, it is important for you to keep your hive pest and disease free. Preventive measures include:

Monitoring for Varroa mites and treating when necessary.
(They keep the hive clean, preventing wax moth and small hive beetle infestations.)
Quick removal of sick or dead bees to avoid spreading disease.

Prevent Swarming

Swarming is the natural result of overpopulation — when the colony outgrows the hive. To prevent swarms:

Add more supers as needed to ensure the hive has room to grow.
Split the hive to control population growth.
Keep an eye out for queen cells and act accordingly.

Maintain Proper Ventilation

Mildew, condensation and overheating are avoided by good ventilation. To improve airflow:

Cock the hive forward to allow moisture to drain.
In humid climates, use ventilation holes or a screened bottom board.
Use space not to crowd them in the hive.

Replace Old or Failing Queens

One reason a hive declines is a weak queen. If the queen is laying fewer eggs, producing scattered brood, or has disappeared, they have an option to requeen (introduce a new queen to the colony).

Prepare for Seasonal Changes

The challenges bees face will vary with the seasons. To keep your hive healthy:

Spring: Inspect hive, feed, watch for swarm
Summer: Keep plenty of ventilation and food sources available, and keep an eye out for pests.
Autumn: Continue to feed bees supplemental sugar syrup if honey stores are low, and narrow hive entrances to help prevent robbing.
Winter: Insulate the hive if needed, provide sufficient food for the bees, and refrain from disturbing them when the temperatures are low.

Conclusion

A healthy hive is active, well-fed, and free of pests and disease. Knowing the signs of a healthy colony and practicing good hive maintenance will help beekeepers keep their bees productive and healthy. Routine inspections, pest management, feeding, and season management all contribute to successful colonies for the long term.

As these little buzz-makers are responsible for much of the pollination we benefit from in nature, with some nurturing and appropriate beekeeping, your hive will thrive, and reward you with honey, the gifts of pollination, and a sense and connection to nature that few things can provide.